The board book, prized by parents for its hardiness and by babies for its chewability, seems an
unlikely vehicle for
War and Peace.

But there it is, one of the longest novels in literary history, captured in 12 child-friendly
words with fuzzy-felt illustrations.

Booksellers say families are snapping up the popular line of board books known as Cozy Classics.
Some critics are less impressed, with one huffing that parents should “let babies be babies” and
skip the abridgments for the wee set.

Twin brothers Holman and Jack Wang say they never dreamed their simple versions of treasured
classics would ignite such discussion.

“There was a piece on Fox News where they set up a debate between a clinical psychologist and a
mommy blogger,” Jack said yesterday.

One reviewer said the Wangs, whose dozen-word
Pride and Prejudice just went into its third printing, are selling snake oil.

“Those are pretty heavy phrases to throw at a baby-board book,” Holman said. “This idea that we’r
e trying to change baby culture in a damaging way is something we didn’t expect.”

The Wangs, both parents of young children, don’t claim their books will get your kid a jump on
Harvard. They wanted to create an experience that appeals to both adults and children.

“We just thought, if parents are excited by the characters and the books themselves, then they’r
e going to present them enthusiastically,” Holman said. “That’s the benefit.”

Holman, a former teacher and lawyer who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, makes most of the
needle-felted characters for the illustrations. Jack, a professor at Ithaca College in New York,
chooses the words.